화학공학소재연구정보센터
Langmuir, Vol.36, No.51, 15536-15542, 2020
Wicking Nanofence-Activated Boundary Layer to Enhance Two-Phase Transport in Microchannels
Controlling the movement of liquids/vapors on solid interfaces is of importance for numerous applications ranging from fluid processing to lab-on-chip and thermal management systems. In this study, a new mechanism is proposed to coordinate the two-phase transport during a boiling process in a highly on-demand fashion. A novel wicking nanofence was designed to confine liquids as an ordered, reconfigurable boundary layer that allows for significant enhancements in all aspects of two-phase transport performances. Experiments have been conducted to systematically investigate the effect of a nanofence-activated boundary layer on the flow boiling performance for mass velocity ranging from 113 to 389 kg/m(2).s. Significant enhancements regarding the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and critical heat flux (CHF) have been demonstrated. For example, a CHF value of 585 W/cm(2) with an enhancement of about threefold is achieved compared to a plain-wall microchannel at a mass velocity of 389 kg/m(2).s. The HTC enhancement is up to 58% as well at a mass velocity of 160 kg/m(2).s. All these achievements are demonstrated without escalating the pressure drops.